Correlation of the rates of solvolysis of cyclopropylcarbinyl and cyclobutyl bromides using the extended Grunwald-Winstein equation

The reactions of cyclopropylcarbinyl bromide (1) and cyclobutyl bromide (2) in hydroxylic solvents proceed with both solvolysis and rearrangement. Depending on the solvent, the reactions of 1 are 10-120 times faster than those of 2, and both are faster than the previously studied allylcarbinyl bromide (3). Specific rates are reported for the reactions of 2 proceeding to solvolysis products and 3. Reactions of 1 proceed to solvolysis products and both 2 and 3; since 2 slowly undergoes further solvolysis, specific rates are obtained by a modified Guggenheim treatment. The two sets of specific rates are analyzed using the extended Grunwald-Winstein equation to give sensitivities toward changes in solvent nucleophilicity of 0.42 for 1 and 0.53 for 2 and corresponding sensitivities toward changes in solvent ionizing power of 0.75 and 0.94. A mechanism is proposed involving a rate-determining ionization with an appreciable nucleophilic solvation of the incipient carbocation.